1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pivotal dispensing caps, and more particularly to dispensing caps with an inwardly flexible, leveraged pivot trigger means and a pivotal pivot cap.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
Pivotal dispensing caps are well known and have been utilized to dispense products such as shampoos, liquid soaps, lotions, gels, powders and the like for some time. The objective of such dispensing devices is to provide the consumer with a practical and appealing means for dispensing such products, while at the same time providing a preferable means for repeated opening and resealing of the dispensing devices without the inconvenience of complete cap removal. The following patents represent different variations on pivotal dispensing devices which exemplify the art:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,266 to Otto Osswald describes a cylindrical closed ended molded plastic cap which includes a planar molded plastic tab, pivotally mountable within a tab recess. The pivotal tab is pivotal between an open and closed position and includes tines which cooperate with grooves on the tab recess which combine to resist separation of the tab from the tab recess.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,869 to Richard A. Gross and Bruce M. Mueller sets forth a toggle-acting closure with a permanently deformable resistance post which interferes with the pivoting of the actuator until a substantial force is applied to the actuator. The actuator has a closed non-dispensing position and an open dispensing position. The actuator, when in the non-dispensing position, is pivotally received in a recess located in the closure and when toggled is pivoted to the dispensing position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,606 to Robert J. Bolen, Jr. and Thomas R. Bolen describes a two piece dispensing closure which has an internally threaded base with a dispensing orifice located in the front section and an elevated rear land which has a pivot recess adapted to receive a separate lid that rotates at least 90.degree. from open to closed positions. The front section of the lid is circular and has a pivot post located at its rear. When the lid is closed the upper surfaces of the lid and the base are co-planar.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,107 to Lambert Spaanstra, Sr. describes a dispensing cap mechanism comprising a closure button which is pivotally mounted in an upper portion of a tubular cap body. The closure button and cap body have communicating discharge passages, and the closure button has an orifice located at the end of its discharge passage. The upper end of the discharge passage extends upward from an opening in a transverse wall to a point just below the plane of the top rim of the cap body. The bottom end of the cap body has an internal thread in the lower body skirt portion to enable the cap body to be screwed onto the threaded neck of a container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,793 to Robert J. Bolen, Jr. and Thomas R. Bolen describes a two piece dispensing closure which has an internally threaded base with a dispensing orifice located in the front section and an elevated rear land which has a pivot recess adapted to receive a separate lid that rotates at least 90.degree. from open to closed positions. The front section of the lid is circular and has a pivot post located at its rear. When the lid is closed the upper surfaces of the lid and the base are co-planar and the closure maintains the appearance of a conventional screw cap.
Notwithstanding the significant prior art in this field, it is believed that the present invention, which utilizes an inwardly flexible sidewall trigger means that acts as a lever for a pivotal pivot cap, as described herein, is neither taught nor rendered obvious.